A Series of Regrets
by arumiins
Summary: Levi wanted to be an artist and Eren wanted to be a singer. They weren't supposed to meet or even cross paths, but it seems a series of unfortunate events occurred. Now one is living and dying with regrets. Levi/Eren College AU
1. Where It Began

(**A/N: **I'm back! Honestly, I should be updating my other stories, but I'm more excited about writing this one. This fic is my first one for Levi/Eren and I just recently got back to writing, so please be patient with me!)

Rated: M for future chapters

Warnings: Tragedy and angsty scenes

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or SNK

Enjoy!

* * *

**Where It Began**

I have so many regrets. It's intoxicating. Everyday, I'm reminded of every single one of them. It's suffocating me.

If I had the chance to go back and change them all, I would immediately take it. I'd give anything for a second chance. Sadly, I'm here suffering.

Regrets have two consequences; living with regrets and dying with them. I know how horrible it is living with regrets, but it seems, I'll be experiencing how it feels to die with regrets.

* * *

It was six years ago. I was in my last year of university, majoring in Fine Arts. Painting and drawing has always fascinated me. Every minute of the day, I was drawing in my notebook or in the art room; painting.

It was no surprise how popular my paintings were. They would always be sent in for competitions and majority of them; I would win. The prizes were mostly money, which was a great convenience for me. Living in a small apartment complex isn't easy.

It was a warm Tuesday afternoon and I was heading to the art room like always. It was only retreat from a stressful day of non-important subjects.

Passing the many classrooms, I jogged until I came to the music room. The familiar singing voice seeped from the room. Every time I passed, I would always hear it. It soothed me. It makes me want to delve into a blanket of comfort. I never once thought of entering and seeing who it was, until today.

I don't know what made me do it, but I grabbed for the slick handle and slowly and carefully, I opened the door. I don't know what I was expecting, but a ray of light shone from the almost 10 feet tall window; right in the middle of the room. Dark ruby red curtains were splayed on the sides of the window, giving it a fancy look. My eyes wandered around and slowly set on the person upon me.

His slim back was to me. He slowly turned himself towards me and almost gawked at the sight of me. However, his face turned to a bright red and he closed his mouth tightly. I didn't mean to make him embarrassed.

I narrowed my eyes on him and muttered, "Sorry."

He sighed and shook his head. "No, it's okay." He shifted on his feet and slightly tilted his head to the side, "Not a lot of people come here at this time. You're the first, actually!" His smile was bright. Just a minute ago, he was embarrassed and now he's happy.

"Uh, I always hear your voice when I come this way..." I drifted off and let my eyes wander to the piano behind him. "It's really nice." No, it's more than nice. It's beyond beautiful, just like an angel.

"Thank you!" His smile radiated. I stared at it and finally focused my eyes on his face. His round eyes made him look younger, but then again, I didn't know how old he was.

"Hey, aren't you Levi?"

I shifted my eyes back on him and said, "Yeah." I narrowed my eyes at him, "Why?"

Next thing I knew, I had an excited boy in front of me, almost losing air. "I love your art so much! I've always admired your talent," he rambled on. It was usual for me to come across admirers like him, except he was different. Somehow and someway. "Your colors...they're so...vibrant and soothing. The scenes you paint, they're breathtaking." His rosy pink lips rose up in a perfect curve. "I don't know how you do it," he breathed out.

I should have smiled. Instead, I nodded and let out a small thank you. I wasn't sure on how to respond. I always say 'thank you' and just leave. I've always been like this.

We stared at each other and the atmosphere had slowly gotten to an awkward feel. "Uh, it was nice talking to you, but I need to get to the art room." Just as I was about to leave, I stopped and turned back. "What's your name?" I asked, narrowing my eyes on him.

"Eren Jaeger."

"Eren." I tested his name. The way my mouth reveled in just saying his name; intrigued me. "Huh, well I guess I'll see you around." With that, I waved at him and headed outside the room.

Not even a minute later, he was calling my name. I turned my head and saw him standing right outside the music room. "Um, is it okay for us to go home together?" he nervously asked. He thinned his lips and glanced away.

I didn't even know if we went the same route home or whatever. Something told me to accept his offer. It wouldn't hurt anyway. "Sure," I answered.

Eren let out a sigh of relief and grinned. "I'll wait for you!" And with that, he quickly went back inside and continued singing where he left off.

I stared at the tall, mahogany door. _How strange._ A swift turn, and I continued my way towards the art room.

* * *

Honestly, I was surprised. The brunet boy was sitting right outside the music room. He was deeply absorbed in his music. He didn't even notice me walking towards him; not until I was standing right in front of him. He froze and glanced at me. With quick legs, he jumped up and gathered his belongings.

"Ah, sorry I didn't notice you."

That's when I really noticed the height difference. He was 4 inches taller than me. I wasn't sure if I should feel jealous or pissed off.

"Well, let's go."

He strode right by my side. I could feel his eyes upon me, but I let it slide.

I didn't really understand, but he found me interesting? I just had a feeling.

We stepped out of the cool school building and were hit with a blast of warm breeze. My vision was blurred by the blazing sun.

"Levi," he called out to me. "Why do you like to paint so much?" he asked. His eyes were fixated elsewhere. I only glanced at him and turned back to focusing ahead.

I hummed and shrugged my shoulders. "I've always liked to paint. I don't really have a reason to it."

"What do you mean you don't have a reason." He furrowed his eyebrows. "You must have a reason!"

I never really thought about _why_ I paint. I just paint; to relieve stress, when I'm over-thinking or just simply bored. Do I love painting? Yeah, of course, but I don't consider it a real reason.

"Maybe you haven't found the reason yet."

Part of me wanted to agree with him; the other part wanted to just completely go off and rant how he doesn't know me.

He doesn't know me at all.

"I guess," I finally responded. I completely ignored the subject and focused on the scenery around us.

It was autumn and we were surrounded by hundreds of orange, red, and brown colored trees. The leaves swayed in the breeze; every so often a leaf would fall and land softly. However, the sky was just marvelous. It was a blanket of orange and pink swirled all around.

I never noticed when we arrived to the station. Together we boarded the train. It was merely empty and quiet.

"How come we both take the same train, but I've never seen you here?" I asked Eren.

"I usually leave early," he immediately answered.

I watched as he turned around and faced the sliding doors. He muttered something about the now night sky, but I wasn't paying attention. At that moment, I realized how _intriguing_ his eyes were. Them themselves were a blanket of sea colors. Blue and green splattered in a swirl that made it actually look..._beautiful_. To top it all off, his deep brown hair just complimented his creamy, tan skin. Not to mention, made his eyes just pop.

This boy-

"Earth to Levi!"

is a masterpiece.

"What?" I glared without thinking. I noticed him step back and look away. I was distracted and didn't think at all. I let out a sigh and assured him, "Sorry...I didn't realize what I just said."

He seemed to understand and continued to look outside. Since when was the ride this long? "Do you smile?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow at the odd question and joined him. "I smile when I'm painting." We bumped elbows, but I didn't mind. "Let me ask you a question." He hummed and turned his full attention on me. "Why are you so interested in me?"

He froze and was stricken by my sudden question. It was such a sight to see him all flustered. "I-Is that how I come off as?" he stammered. Eren could barely keep his eyes on me.

"Uh sort of." I was being honest.

He sighed and gave a clumsy smile, "I sort of look up to you.," he said.

"Oh." That was all I could say. I should have said more.

His stop had come and it was time for him to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?" he said right after he stepped out. His bright eyes anticipated for my response. His lips were slightly curved in a small smile.

I swallowed and straightened up. "Sure." I replied.

Eren grinned and waved just as the doors closed. After that, I was left with the memory of his warm smile. Deep down, something told me that he would soon be in my life a lot more.

We would cross paths countless time.

* * *

(**A/N:** I know the first chapter was fairly short, but I promise later on the chapters will get longer! btw please look at my profile once it's changed, thank you!)


	2. Influences

(**A/N: **I just want to make a reminder that it's all in past tense since it is Levi telling the story. So, I'm sorry if past tense bothers you or I made any mistakes! Please tell me if you see mistakes ;;)

* * *

**Influences**

I was in a peaceful slumber when my annoying alarm rang. The only thing that ruined my morning; that and class. I groaned and quickly grabbed my phone to shut off the ear-wrecking sound. I laid there staring at my simple and boring ceiling. Another day of stressful classes; when all I wanted to do is be in the art room.

I propped myself up and swung my legs over my comfortable bed. I let out another groan and stretched. My back popped and felt a soothing relief. I quickly headed towards the bathroom, grabbing my uniform on the way. Minutes later, I was ready to head out. I rushed to grab my bag and dashed out of my apartment and out the front door of the complex.

It was a cold morning and I had forgotten to bring my scarf. I struggled to get to my morning classes in the frigid breeze. Along the way, I stopped by my favorite coffee shop. With a hot espresso, I continued on my way. Some say espressos are bitter and not tasteful, but I liked it. It helps me wake up on restless mornings; like today. I didn't mind the bitterness.

Arriving to campus, I noticed that most of the students were already entering inside for their classes. I followed them, but stopped when I noticed something from the corner of my eye. I noticed three guys, roughly six feet tall, surrounding someone pressed against a tree. Honestly, guys like that don't even belong in a honorable school. Even from what seemed like five feet away; I could see what they were doing. Picking and saying crude matters to their victim. It disgusted me.

It wasn't my problem at all, so I chose to ignore the situation. I shouldn't have. I took one last look and made eye contact with him. Eren's tired and desperate eyes met my cold eyes. It was too late, so I turned and made my way up the concrete stairs and into the warm school; avoiding all eye contact and forcefully forgetting what I just witnessed.

_I regret not defending you that day._

* * *

Class was boring like always and I wanted to desperately leave. Five hours was enough and my wish was granted. I rushed out of my last class of the day and only had one thing in mind. Painting.

I chose to ignore the incident with Eren, but I had a feeling I would soon bump into him. And _oh man _did that come too soon. I never noticed him walking towards me, until I noticed his bright eyes. He smiled when we made eye contact and I was...confused.

"Levi!"

I wanted to interrogate him with millions of questions. _Why are you smiling? I didn't defend you. You were getting picked on. Does it not bother you?_

Wait. Since when was I concerned about him?

"Are you heading to the art room?" he asked. I stared at his eyes, looking for any sign of hurt. Eren raised his eyebrow and tilted his head down. "Is something wrong?"

I stepped back and let out a sigh. "Nothing at all. I'm a bit tired and just want to hurry to the room," I replied. I walked past him and continued my way to the art room. Our foot steps rang throughout the hallway. I'm not surprised. He was following me.

"Is it okay that I'm following you?" He asked.

"Aren't you a little late?" I retorted. He grew quiet. "I was hoping to be alone today."

"Sorry."

The walk was silent. Honestly, I was uncomfortable. I barely knew his kid and yet he's stuck to my side. However, this gave me an opportunity to watch him from the corner of my eye. He mumbled a lot, but I think he was singing under his breath. This kid really loved singing.

"Why do you love singing?"

The question threw him off. His wide, turquoise eyes fixed on me and a wide grin grew upon his young face. "You finally asked!" He clasped his hands together. "Hm, where do I start?" _I don't have all day. Please start already._ "I've been singing since I was around ten. I can't clearly remember when I became so fascinated with singing, but one day, this song came on on the radio and-" His expression was like a person reminiscing on good memories. "I fell in love. I was determined to sing as great as that singer." He chuckled and looked away. "I was surprised to notice I already had a great voice. Not to be bragging." He flashed a smile. "Anyway, singing just became my everyday life and I want everybody to hear my voice. I think I have potential."

"I think you do," I blurted out. My whole body froze and my eyes were wide open. Did I really just say that?

"Really?" Eren brightened up and showed a very determined expression. "Then I'll do my best on that competition!" He yelled out.

"Competition?" I questioned; one eyebrow raised.

He tilted his head down and smiled. "I never told you, but the school is holding a competition for only singers. Other students from this school will be participating to win a grand prize! I signed up the minute I heard about it." He leaned down close to my ear and I sent him a warning glare. He immediately sprung up and cleared his throat. "I heard that there might be a representative from a singing company. They might offer the winner the chance to enter their company and become an idol."

"Wow," I let out. "That's pretty cool."

We finally arrived to the art room. It was empty like always. The grand window peeked through the open doors. The sun still shined bright above the clear sky. I turned around and faced Eren. "So, you think you can win?" I asked with arms crossed.

He hesitated to answer. I watched as he looked down at his brown loafers and bite his bottom lip. "I want to win, but I'm a bit nervous," He muttered.

I glared at him and spoke up, "Don't mutter. It makes you look pathetic." This caught his attention and he straightened up. "Don't be such a wuss and believe in yourself or else you won't win." I almost rolled my eyes from the cheesy advice I was giving him.

He let out a deep breath and smiled slightly. "Because Levi said so, I won't get nervous at all!" He chuckled. I could feel my eyebrow twitch. This damn brat. "I'll leave you to paint, while I go practice for the competition." Eren waved to me and left to the music room in a hurry.

I watched his slim back get smaller and smaller until he was completely gone. I let out a sigh and entered the art room. Who knew I could be this tired just from talking to him.

Eren really is something.

* * *

The next day, I headed out like usual grabbing a cup of coffee on my way to class. This time I remembered to wear my dark gray scarf. It was just as cold as yesterday. The thought of Eren being harassed by those group of guys crossed my mind, but I decided not to let it get to me.

I arrived to campus and my eyes trailed to the same tall tree Eren was pressed against, but there was no sign of him or the group of guys. My chest felt a bit of relief. I wondered why though. I continued my way down the concrete path, passing by other students. I stared up at the gloomy morning sky, until my eyes landed on the tall brunet. He was walking next to a short blond and a girl roughly the same height as him with sleek, short, black hair. It's nine in the morning and he's already yelling.

"Come on, Armin! Just this one time!"

"Geez, how many times do I have to tell you? No, I won't give you my answers. You should really stop putting homework off. Don't you have a D in English?" The blond, I assumed was Armin, replied.

"I have other things to do..." Eren's voice drifted off in embarrassment.

I quickly walked past them hoping to not be noticed, but-

"Levi!" I heard Eren shout. I froze and let out a groan. I turned to face the three. Armin stared at me with nervousness, while the girl to Eren's right glared at me. "Good morning, Levi. How are you?"

"Tired," I answered immediately.

He glanced away. "You didn't-"

"I heard. You're a slacker."

Armin chuckled and covered his mouth with his pale hand. The girl still remained staring at me with a cold stare.

I turned towards her and said, "Is there something on my face that is bothering you so much? I'm starting to get irritated. I made sure I didn't have anything on my face this morning." I stared at her with the same expression.

She was taken aback and her mouth hung slightly. "Eren, is this really the Levi you admire?" She asked in a questioning tone with her index finger pointing right at me.

He glanced at me and hesitated. "It's morning, Mikasa. He's just in a bad mood, right?" He stared at me hoping for me to answer, but I didn't.

"Why do you glare so much?" Armin spoke up.

"I don't. This is my normal expression." They all seemed surprised by my answer. I can't help but look intimidating. I've always been like this.

"Well, this is a surprise." Mikasa crossed her arms. "The artist, Levi is short and sarcastic." She leaned in and whispered harshly, "Don't mess with Eren or I will slice your flesh."

"Mikasa!" Eren grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. "Please don't get him angry," He whispered.

"I'm a bit irritated but not angry," I said.

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down. "Sorry to bother you. We'll leave you to get to class."

I never noticed just how much time passed by. I turned to walk to class, but he called out to me. "I'll see you later!" I know. We always saw each other in the afternoon.

It feels normal and I'm not used to it.

* * *

I paint what's outside. The clear blue sky slowly changing to a light orange. The white, puffy clouds and their soft edges. I paint the ridged, bright green grass, the multiple leaves that have drifted to the ground and the trees that dance in the autumn wind. I stared at my painting and examined each line and crease. I wondered if this was good enough for the upcoming contest. But, it felt like something was missing.

I stretched out my arms and let out the biggest sigh. I got up to cover the painting and placed it under my arm. I headed for the door, still thinking of what's missing. It was quiet and I searched for Eren. His voice was no where to be heard.

I headed down the hallway, the sounds of my footsteps filled the empty hallway. Eren must of already left. I ran my hand through my hair and sighed deeply. I was unusually tired today. I'm thinking too much about the painting. It shouldn't be bothering me this much.

I emerged out from the building and spotted the brunet. He was calmly sitting under the tall oak tree. Immediately, I could hear his soft, singing voice. I wanted to hide and let him continue to sing, but who knows how long he's been out here, the temperature has gone down. I moved towards him and he quickly turned his head towards me and grinned.

He stood up and stepped towards me. "Are you ready?" He asked with his head tilted slightly. His smile faded and gave me a questioning stare. "Are you okay?"

I rubbed my forehead and replied, "I'm extremely tired and it's unusual."

We began to walk side by side, on our way to the station. "Has class been really hard for you? Considering it is your last year." He spoke.

"I guess, but I'm more tired than usual." I shrugged. "I've been having trouble with this painting." I bring up the covered canvas.

"You know, I have trouble too when it comes to writing songs," He mentioned.

"You write songs?"

"Oh, I never told you. I write songs all the time. It's the main reason I don't do my homework." He laughed. "What gives me ideas is usually what happens around me." He turned to me and said, "I'm not a painter, but don't paint what you see, but what you're influenced by."

I was actually surprised by what came out of his mouth. I didn't notice him leave my side as I thought of his advice.

"Levi, look!" He shouted to me. I turned my head towards him and moved my eyes to where he was pointing. Above the now orange and pink sky, was a plane flying overhead, leaving a trail of smoke behind. "Doesn't it look amazing?" He breathed out.

I backed away and fixed my gaze on Eren staring up at the sky. I almost dropped my canvas as I realized on what he said. I have found what I was missing. "Eren, stay still for a minute!" I called out to him.

"Why?"

I ignored his question and backed up to the right distance and held up my phone. In one second, I had a picture of what I needed. "Hey, get over here." Eren looked back and ran towards me. I held up my phone and showed him.

"That's breathtaking." He grinned. "Hey, send it to me!" He puffed his cheeks trying to look cute and innocent.

"Don't do that," I glared at him. He sheepishly straightened up and looked down. I let out a sigh and held out my phone. "Okay, give me your phone." He happily handed over his phone and we exchanged numbers.

"I never knew I would get your number," He let out.

"You sound like a teenage girl getting the number of her crush."

"Oh, sorry."

Together we continued on our way to the station while admiring the sky. Surprisingly, I was not that tired anymore, but I was content with the outcome of today.

* * *

(**A/N: **Next chapter should be more exciting than this one! Please let me know your thoughts about the story so far~)


	3. Cheesy Quotes

(******A/N:** To that guest who left a review; no my fic is not based on that sad Japanese doujinshi. I actually haven't heard or read it, but I am curious to read it! Anyway, this chapter is a bit shorter than the last one, but hope you enjoy!)

* * *

**Cheesy Quotes**

The days were shorter now and the autumn breeze had turned into a winter chill. It was that time of the year where people relied on bundles of sweaters and scarves. Christmas wasn't until next month and yet there was already sparkling, bright lights hung around the town. Stores were even stocking up for holiday shopping. I passed by each small store and merely glanced at their displays. I didn't have anyone to buy gifts for.

It's also been three weeks since I finished my painting. I never told Eren I used him as a reference. But he'll eventually see it. I entered it for a contest and later received news that I won first place. Like usual, the prize was one grand. I thought about telling him, but I didn't think it was necessary.

Class was boring like always, but painting made up for it. Who knows how long I was in the art room. By the time I glanced outside, the sun had already hidden itself away for the night. I quietly tidied up the room and put away my unfinished painting. I made sure to lock the door on my way out and headed down the same empty hallway.

Even from a few rooms away, I could hear Eren's angelic voice. "This brat is still here?" I muttered to myself. I entered without knocking.

Eren jumped from my sudden entrance. "Oh, it's you," He let out.

"You do realize it's late, right?"

He turned around and said, "Whoa, it is! I never noticed." He peered over his shoulder and chuckled, "and neither did you."

I sighed in annoyance from his cheekiness and turned my back towards him. "Hurry up or I'm leaving you behind." And like a dog, he was right by my side. "Hey, I've been wondering, but why on some days you leave early?" I asked.

He turned his head towards me and replied, "I have a job and my schedule changes a lot."

"Where do you work?"

"There's this bookstore right by a coffee shop."

"By Cafė Sina?"

"Yes!" Eren exclaimed.

Who knew his job was that close. Once we emerged from the warm building, I immediately tightened the scarf around my neck; Eren as well. He wore a dark red scarf that made his eyes pop out brightly.

"Hey!" Eren stopped right in front of me. "You should accompany me to my job tomorrow," He suggested. Sneaky.

I stared at him for a long while. It wouldn't hurt to miss one day of just painting. He shifted on his feet waiting for a response. "Sure," I muttered.

"Also," He started. I watched as his cheeks grew to a light red color and his jaw tightened. "I want to get to know you better!" He shouted. I was caught off guard, my eyes went wide in just a split second. His lips were pressed tightly and even the tips of his ears turned red. "It's been a month and I want to know more about you." His eyes shifted away, avoiding all eye contact.

I was too shocked to even come up with a response. The sight of Eren, nervous and blushing, made my chest tingle. I began to shift on my feet as well. Finally after what seemed like forever, I replied, "You're bold." He finally brought his eyes to me. "We're slowly getting to know each other. We don't need to rush."

"But."

"I'll tell you about myself tomorrow." I hurried past him and listened to his footsteps following along.

"Yeah, I will." I didn't even need to look at him to know he was smiling.

* * *

I've always passed by the bookstore, but never once looked inside, until now. It was warm and the whole decor gave off a comforting feel. From the outside, it looked like a small store, but who knew it was actually big and completely filled with shelves of a variety of books. From novels to encyclopedias, to magazines and biographies, the store was adorn with them.

I stared at a case of a newly released novel. Eren walked past me and headed to the counter to the far left of the store. I followed him and stopped right in front of the register. "What am I suppose to do?" I asked.

He hummed as he checked in and checked the register. A co-worker passed by waving to Eren as she left through the entrance. "There's a lot of books here. There's absolutely nothing for you to not do," He finally replied. "Most customers browse around and sit down to read, so we can just read here." He pulled out a stool chair and set it right beside his.

"I guess we can do that," I muttered. "I am curious to see what I find here." I started to browse at the nearest shelf. I glanced up and saw a sign attached to the top of shelf that read, 'Non-Fiction'. I moved farther down until I came to a shelf at the back of the store. A particular book caught my attention. I pulled it out and opened the pages. Just as I expected, the pages were filled with many different art pieces, ranging from very popular ones to barely known but beautiful paintings. I walked back to the front of the store, passing by customers lounging in comfortable seats and browsing through shelves.

"Did you find a book you like?" Eren asked as I sat down next to him. He was lazily writing in a notebook. I peeked over his shoulder and saw what I believe was lyrics.

"Are you writing a song?"

"Yeah, but I can't really concentrate right now. I'll do it later," He closed his notebook and placed it inside his book bag. "A book of just paintings?" He raised his eyebrows at me and chuckled. I sent him a warning glare and he cleared his throat and pretended he didn't say anything. "Anyways, while you were gone, I decided to grab this." He placed a rather heavy book down on the counter. The light brown hardcover was filled with ink stains and the corners were already torn.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Did you not see it when we walked in?" I shook my head. "There's a stand with a sign that says, 'Write your favorite quotes in here'. It's fun to read them. Some are so bad." His long, thin fingers carefully opened the book. The first page was completely filled with quotes. A variety of color inks were plastered on it.

"How many pages are filled?"

"Who knows. A lot, I guess."

We scanned through few of the pages and honestly, most were shitty. Most were overused and cheesy love quotes or quotes about life. "These suck," I muttered. I didn't care, it was true anyway.

"I know." Eren was shaking his head at every quote. He laughed and pointed at one.

"Oh god this one is crap." In a mocking voice, he said, "You know my name, not my story."

I placed my hands over my forehead and let out a loud sigh. "Why do people still use that?" I almost yelled out.

"I really hope people jokingly wrote these down."

I removed my hands away and continued to read. "Why would anybody write that?!" I shouted in annoyance as I pointed to one quote. Eren covered his mouth and laughed. "Boy's will break your heart, real men- I don't even want to read this! This is terrible." I rambled on.

"L-Levi!" Eren tried to speak, but his laughter consumed him. "You really don't like these?" He breathed out.

"I hate these."

After recovering from his laughter, Eren suggested, "Why don't we add our own quotes?" He pulled out two dark blue pens from a drawer. "Let's write ones that aren't shitty and are actually deep and meaningful." He handed over a pen. I reached over to grab it and our fingers lightly touched. Even from the small contact, my stomach and chest gained a weird sensation. I completely ignored it.

"What kind of quote does it have to be?" I asked scooting closer to him.

"H-How about a love quote?" His voice trembled and I stared at him in curiosity. The tips of his ear were red.

"I think I remember a good one from a book I read ages ago," I replied. I leaned over and his face was not inches but centimeters away from mine. I glanced at him and his eyes are directly staring at me. A noticeable blush was spread across his cheeks. I tore my gaze away, cleared my throat and began to write. I leaned back after I was finished and turned to Eren. "Well, it's your turn."

I watched as his right hand moved melodically. I noticed him looking at me and looking back at the page. He straightened up and placed his pen down. "I'll read yours and you read mine," He smiled softly. His gaze traced over the words and he spoke out, "Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination." He laughed and I was surprised. "Seriously, Levi! Everything has to do with art. Might as well marry it or something."

I glared at him and punched him in the arm.

"Hey!"

"My love for art is like your love for singing. Now, shut up." I pulled the book to me and searched for the quote he wrote down. I froze and was stricken with confusion. I eyed him from the corner of my eye, then took a deep breath. "Your eyes make me shy." I let out. "Is this even a quote?" I asked with a glare.

"What? Yes, it is!"

"Whatever." We stopped looking through quotes and decided to do our own things. Eren went to help customers out, while I remained looking through the book I found earlier.

* * *

Our afternoon was spent reading quotes and books. I was able to see what kind of worker Eren was and that was interesting. We left once his shift was over and a co-worker came in to take his place.

It was night and the stars were twinkling brightly above the dark winter sky. Eren emerged from the store and strode to my side. I rubbed my freezing hands together and quickly shoved them inside my coat pockets. Eren had mittens on. "Why are you wearing mittens?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

His cheeks were tinted red from the cold. "They're a gift from my mom. They're actually really warm. Do they look weird?"

I shook my head.

He pulled out his phone and checked the time. "I really hope Mikasa doesn't feel lonely," he muttered through his scarf.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Pft. Not even close!" Eren laughed. "She's my sister."

"You two look nothing alike."

"She's my adopted sister." Oh. That made more sense. "Do you have any siblings, Levi?" He asked with curiosity.

"I'm an only child. And I don't talk to my parents much, just in case you were wondering." We reached the train station and hopped into the warm train. We sat down on a bench and waited for our stops.

"Why?"

"My parents wanted me to pursue a career in medical, but I absolutely refused. I ran away from home to do what I want. I wasn't a good child. I was rebellious." I shifted my gaze to Eren and noticed him staring intently at me.

A smile formed on his lips. "Rebel Levi sounds cool."

"Current me is cool," I muttered under my breath.

He didn't hear and continued to ask me another question. "What's your favorite color?"

"Black."

"Food?"

"Any kind of Italian food, I guess." I narrowed my eyes on him. "Why are you asking me these questions?"

He furrowed his eyebrows and responded, "You said I could get to know more about you today." He crossed his arms and faced away from me. "Are you going to ask me?" His round eyes begged for my response.

"Just tell me." I urged him with an emotionless expression.

He frowned and answered anyways. "My favorite color is green and I like hamburgers." He turned his head towards me and teasingly said, "You should take me to a fast food place someday."

"In your dreams, brat." I retorted.

We rode in silence the rest of the way and stared off at the emptiness around us. I felt his shoulder pressed against mine, but I didn't mind. This is normal, right?

My stop came and I got up to leave. "Have a good night, Levi!" I heard him call out to me. I waved goodbye and stepped outside. I was once again enveloped in the cold air. I began to walk to my apartment. When the apartment complex came to view, I hurried up the steel stairs and to my apartment room.

Once I entered inside, I moved to my bed and landed on it. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes. I didn't expect myself to be tired. I thought about today and that "quote" Eren wrote down. It's not possible that he was referring to me, right? I shook the thought away and prepared myself for a good night's rest.

Before I entered the bathroom, I eyed a lonesome notebook lying on the floor. I made a note to myself to use it tomorrow.

That notebook, would become something most treasured to me.

* * *

(**A/N: **Remember to leave feedback!)


	4. Coffee and Drawings

**Coffee and Drawings**

After my morning routine, I entered the school gates and strode along the pathway. Passing by a group of girls, I heard them whisper and began to squeal. I peered over my shoulder and noticed them all looking at me. Of course it's me. I ignored them and looked straight ahead. And straight ahead was the familiar brunet. I hurried over to him and pulled him back by his blazer.

"Whoa!" He yelled out. He turned around and frowned. "You didn't have to do that," He mumbled.

"How else was I suppose to get your attention?"

"Calling my name out?"

I stared at him blankly. He gave up and slumped his shoulders slightly. "So, what is it?"

"Since I went with you to your job, you're going to come with me to my favorite coffee shop." I told him. His eyes brightened up and a smiled formed across his face. "You practically dragged me, so I'm going to drag you today to that café."

"I'm so excited!" He exclaimed. I looked elsewhere with my arms crossed.

"I'll wait for you after school by the gates." I informed him. He nodded happily. "Now go or else you'll be late for class." I ordered him.

He waved goodbye and in an excited mood, dashed inside. I sighed and continued my way to my own class. Hopefully, this was the right decision to do.

* * *

Just like I said, I waited outside for Eren. Coincidently, his classes ended at the same time as mine. He hurried over to me as soon as he stepped out of the school doors. "Did I make you wait?" Was the first thing he asked me.

I shook my head and began to walk to the coffee shop. "Hurry up or I'm leaving you behind." I called to him.

The train ride didn't take long and in a matter of minutes, we were out and headed to our destination. Café Sina came into view with its bright lights hanging around the windows and door. We both reached out for the handle of the door, but Eren quickly pulled away.

The warm air inside surrounded us like a warm blanket. We felt some relief after being outside in the cold. We stepped up to the front counter and the same blonde girl who always took my orders was there.

"Levi! Same as usual?" I nodded. She smiled and glanced at Eren. "Friend?" She questioned.

"Y-Yeah," I hesitated. I turned to Eren and asked, "What do you want?"

He stared up at the menu in deep thought. "I'll just take a hot chocolate," He finally replied.

"Your drinks will be ready in a few minutes," She informed us.

Eren and I left to find seats. We picked some seats right by the wall that were far from other customers. I cleared my throat and muttered, "You can ask me whatever you want."

"Huh?"

"Are you deaf? I said, ask me whatever is on your mind." I retorted.

Eren remained silent staring at me with curiosity. Suddenly, he said, "Tell me when you started to like art." His eyes were glazed with anticipation. Our drinks arrived and my eyes wandered down to my hot drink and up to the brunet, happily taking a sip of his drink. "Delicious," He whispered.

"Since I was young, I've always been fascinated in art," I started. "At home, my parents always made me read or do something that didn't involve art at all. School was the only place I could. It wasn't until in middle school, my talent did show." I took a sip from my neglected drink and continued to spill my life story out. Sort of. "The art teacher encouraged me to draw and paint as much as I could. So, I did. From there, I started entering my paintings into contests. At first, I would get ranked fourth or third place. Again, the art teacher told me to practice. I really didn't see my art becoming really popular." I stopped to focus on Eren's expression. He was so engrossed, he wasn't paying attention to his drink. "I guess, art became part of my life when I was praised for it, instead of being yelled at." It was silent and he had remained staring intently at me.

"Wow." He breathed out. Finally, he took a sip from his drink. "Your parents should see how famous and popular you are now."

"I'm not."

"You are to…" His voice drifted off as he looked away. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Anything else you want to know?" I watched as he pondered away.

"What do you plan to do after your graduate from university?" He asked.

I froze. I had no idea. I didn't think about it all. "I actually don't know. I never focused on it," I answered.

"You're screwed," He mumbled while taking a sip. I narrowed my eyes at him as he smirked.

We became silent and I didn't care. I thought about my future plans, while Eren stared elsewhere. "Hey, Levi," He whispered.

"Hm?"

"Have you ever been in a relationship?"

"Why?" I raised my voice.

He shrugged and began to twirl his finger around the rim of his cup. "I was looking at that couple over there and the question struck me." He was honest and I couldn't exactly get mad at him for that.

However, I thought about telling him. I didn't know why I was fine with telling him my love life or what not. "Uh, yeah I've been in a few."

"Did you generally like them?" His lips were tighten to almost a thin line.

Now he was asking me unnecessary questions. "Why do you want to know this?" I questioned him. I placed my arms on the table and leaned in. "You have a girlfriend?"

"No!" Eren objected. He ran his hands over his red cheeks. "I don't have one and I'm just really curious." He mumbled.

"It was back in high school. I don't remember and it doesn't matter at all." I took the last sip of my drink. "You ask the weirdest questions, you know."

Eren let out a deep breath. He must have been holding it in. "You never said I couldn't ask you weird questions," He smirked.

"Have you ever been in a relationship?"

His face became flushed and he tried to play it off like he wasn't embarrassed. "Y-Yeah. Once."

"Don't get all shy on me." I muttered as I got up from my seat. "Well, are you coming with me?" I asked, beckoning him to the door. He quickly grabbed his bag and slid it right on his shoulder.

On our way out, after throwing away our cups, the girl behind the counter shouted, "See you later, Levi!"

We were hit with a great chill and immediately shivered. I tightened my coat and scarf to keep little warmth in me. I noticed Eren pulling out his mittens again. I admit, it made him look somewhat cute. I shook the thought away and started on our way to the station.

"That girl…" He started. He breathed out and his breath was formed in the cold air. "How does she know you?"

"I always go there, so she knows who I am and what I always order. Thought you were smart enough to figure it out."

"Hey."

"Anyway, how did you like it?" I asked.

"Hmm, I definitely want to go there again!" He exclaimed. "But I'd want to go with you."

"Huh? What are you a kid who needs to have their mom with them everywhere?"

"What- No!" He shook his head and frowned deeply. "I just want to have company."

I turned away and thought of going back there with him again. It wouldn't hurt to. "When we have time, we can go together again," I said. He simply smiled.

Like always, we arrived at the train station and sat down next to each other. I glanced at Eren and asked, "Do you work tomorrow?"

He stopped humming and replied, "Yeah."

"Are you not disappointed to work on a Saturday?"

He shook his head. "No. I don't have plans anyway." The train abruptly stopped and Eren slid against me; our shoulders and thighs touched. "Oh, sorry," He apologized as he stood up from his seat. He hurried over to the glass doors; his shoes rang on the steel floor. "I'll see you next week!" He waved and walked out.

The remainder of the ride, I stared down at my shoulder and thigh. They tingled and felt warm. I chose to ignore it, but it crept back into my mind.

_Why was I feeling like this?_

* * *

The next morning, I woke up around eleven in the morning and had little energy to get up and get ready. However, I didn't have plans at all, so there was no need to get ready. After listening to music for about half an hour, I made the effort to get up and eat breakfast.

The apartment complex may be small, but the rooms definitely weren't. I walked up and stood right by the window. The whole view of the city could be seen and that was my favorite part of this apartment. Watching the bustling cars and people calmed me down. The clouds seemed so close today and begged to be drawn. But I had something else in mind.

Grabbing a black, simple bean bag chair, I placed it right by the window and plopped myself on it. I leaned over to pick up the notebook I had found days ago. I didn't have time to draw until today. I opened up it up to a clean, blank page and began to draw what came to my mind.

There was lines and shading here and there. Perfect curves and rough edges. This all made up to a beautiful drawing. I wasn't thinking of the drawing at all, so once I finished, I looked over what I had drawn; I was in utter shock.

I had drawn Eren, the bright-eyed brat with a beautiful voice.

I examined the drawing carefully. It was only a portion of his face and his mouth was in a perfect curve, showing all his perfect, straight teeth. The way I had drawn his eyes...was unimaginable. Deep within his eyes, a sense of purpose and warmness was hidden away by his perfect orbs. That's what I thought about his eyes.

I glanced over at my alarm clock and sighed in disappointment. It was only two in the afternoon and I had all this time to kill. I thought about drawing something else; like the puffy clouds, slowly making their way across the pale blue sky or the tall skyscrapers across from the apartment. But, no.

I wanted to draw Eren only.

Draw him in different scenes. In different expressions and emotions. I wanted to see how it felt to draw him.

So, I did.

Within two hours, I had drawn about three more pages of just him. One laughing, smirking, and my view when he's standing right next to me.

"What the hell," I cursed and groaned into my hands. Why is he on my mind lately? My heart was racing. I stood up and went into the kitchen for a glass of water. I gulped it down and slammed the cup down on the counter. I was breathing heavily and couldn't comprehend what I was feeling.

It was getting hot inside, so I decided to leave for a while. Even if it was sunny out, it was still cold. I dug my hands into my jacket and began to make my way to the train station. Going downtown was my only intention. After what seemed like five minutes, the train stopped. I rose from my seat and walked out into the cold once again. Since I'm here, I might as well visit Eren.

The streets weren't packed, but it was starting to get hard to get through everyone. I pushed through people who gave me glares and confused expressions, but I didn't care.

I entered the bookstore and immediately searched for the familiar brunet. "Welcome!" I heard him shout. I turned my head to the direction of his voice. Our eyes met. "Levi!" He yelled. He cocked his head to the side in confusion. In his arms were a pile of books. "What are you doing here?" He asked as he slowly made his way to the counter.

I followed him right behind. "I got bored," I answered simply. "Why do you have all those books?" I watched as he placed them right by the scanner. He brought his hand up to move his bangs out of his eyes.

He replied, "They just came in and I have to add a price tag to each of them." He looked up and smiled gently. "Since you're here; help me!"

I rolled my eyes and glared down at the books. I didn't come here to work.

"You don't have to…"

I bit my lips and went behind the counter with him. "Might as well, since I don't have anything to do."

While Eren scanned the books, I placed each individual tag right by the bar code. "Thanksgiving break is next week. Do you have any plans?" He asked.

I'm obviously going to stay home at my apartment and draw. Paint as well. Possibly watch t.v. "Not really," I replied.

"I see." We finished pricing the last book and placed them all in a stack. "But I'm sure you'll paint or draw, right?" I nodded. He turned to me and smiled brightly. "And Thanksgiving?"

"What about it?"

"Do you have plans for that day?" I shook my head. He chuckled and suggested, "Come over to my house then!"

"No," I answered immediately.

His smile dropped down to a frown. "Why not?" He cried out. I shrugged and glanced away. "You're going to be alone at your apartment, drawing, sleeping and probably watch the parade on t.v. Do you know how lame that is?" He crossed his arms and gave me a disappointed expression.

"Probably. But why do you want me to go over to your house?" I questioned.

"You'll be alone that day." He shifted on his feet and let out a sigh. "Come over for dinner at least." He lowered his gaze to his gray sneakers.

It's not that I didn't want to go, but wouldn't it be awkward? At his house with him and his sister. Not to mention his best friend, Armin could possibly go, too. However, I couldn't help but accept by his expression. "Fine. I'll go," I said.

It was probably the best choice. Eren brightened up and grinned like a boy at an amusement park. "Does five sound good to you?" I nodded reluctantly. "Good!" He reached for the stack of books and placed them in his arms. "I'll be right back." I watched as he left towards the shelves ahead from us. I sat down on the stool and thought about the outcome of next week. In all honesty, I couldn't predict at all what could happen between us.

* * *

(**A/N: **Remember to leave feedback!)


	5. Thanksgiving With You

(**A/N: **Long chapters are my favorite and I hope you love them too.)

* * *

**Thanksgiving With You**

I woke up to a cold morning. I propped myself up and looked out from the window right above my bed. It was a dull morning and the sky was completely covered in gray clouds. Thanksgiving had arrived quicker than I thought. I thought about the dinner at Eren's house and groaned in dissatisfaction.

I got up and prepared myself a quick and easy breakfast of eggs, toast and coffee. I thought about what could possibly happen; while slowly taking a sip of my drink. My eyes trailed to the window and stared out into the cloudy sky. _Why was I so nervous?_ It's just dinner at his house.

I abandoned my empty cup and plate in the sink and tread my way to the living room. I sat down on the couch and reached for the t.v remote. After turning it on, I purposely ignored it to draw in my notebook. The sounds from the t.v became the background noise. I passed by the already drawn pages and reached a clean page. I bit my lip and let my hand do it's magic.

Even if it was drawn in pencil, I could still imagine the bright colors and textures. Minty green leaves and rough, brown trees were the scenery, while Eren was comfortably sprawled on the grass with closed eyes and a soft smile that I swear was enchanting. I had drawn his long, pretty lashes that sometimes gave me urges to delicately touch. The shading blended well in his clothes and it made me feel like I was a prodigy.

But I was thrown back into reality when I realized that I was having these thoughts again about the bright-eyed brat. I closed the notebook and carelessly threw it to the coffee table; just missing inches from sliding off on to wooden floor. "Shit. That brat has been on my mind lately," I muttered. My gaze wandered to the parade on the t.v and was quickly distracted.

Once the event was over, I checked the time on my phone and let out a tired sigh. Two hours left until I had to leave to Eren's house. I made my way to the bathroom and entered for a warm shower. After I emerged from the shower, I immediately wrapped a towel around my waist and began to dry my hair with another towel. The scent of fresh mint lingered from my hair and body. I walked out into my bedroom; leaving imprints of my feet on the floor. I quickly slipped on my briefs and searched for clothes.

I walked out to the living room, wearing tight, black jeans and a dark navy blue striped sweater. I wasted another hour just staring blankly at the bright t.v. I had enough of just sitting around and decided to leave early. On the way to the front door, I slipped on a pair of black combat boots and reached for my button up coat hanging by the door.

I dashed to the steel stairs; slowing down at each step. Powdery and soft snow had already begun to fall so carelessly. I stared in awe at the white beauty forming on the ground. I had once again forgotten to bring my scarf, so I decided to fight the coldness. I took my time on walking towards the train station; watching as the whole town slowly became a winter wonderland. My foot steps crunched under the piling snow, while my breath escaped from my parted lips; forming into a thin cloudy form.

I arrived at the station; sooner that I thought. I stepped up to the glass doors, patiently waiting for the signal to enter. A line had formed right behind me and I hurried in once the door automatically opened. I snagged myself a seat right by the doors and was careful to not touch the dirty railing. Who knows how much germs could be on that.

Everyone on the train was bundled up in their heavy coats and scarves. I noticed girls dressed up nicely from head to toe. Some had a box of treats or cake in their hands. I glanced at my hands and realized I was about to do something rude. How could I go to someone's house without bringing at least a cake for the dinner? I made it my mission to buy at least a small cake before arriving.

The train slowly came to a stop. I glanced up at the flashing sign and took it as my cue to leave. Luckily, after the many rides we have taken together; I remembered Eren's stop. I stepped out into the cold pavement and looked to my left and right and came to a conclusion; I was fucking lost. Eren never told me where his house was and I was extremely pissed.

I decided to text him while I was buying a cake. The bakery shop was small and lively. It wasn't completely packed, but it wasn't empty either. The shop was adorn with shelves and refrigerated displays of delectable sweets. I stepped up to the display with cakes. I browsed in deep thought of which to choose. After much thinking, I settled for a small, chocolate double layered cake with frosting and decorated with bundles of fresh and juicy looking strawberries.

"Can I get this one to go?" I asked the young lady behind the display, while pointing at the cake.

She nodded and carefully pulled it out and placed it in a simple, brown box. She handed it over to me after I paid and I was all set to go.

Outside of the shop, I placed the box on a glass table right in front of the shop. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my phone. I texted Eren, asking for directions and waited patiently. It didn't take long for him to answer. _Someone must be excited._ I quickly headed over; while following directions.

The snow had stopped falling and I was disappointed. Right by an apartment complex, is the neighborhood where Eren's house is. I walked and scanned each house, looking for the house number he had given me. I looked to my left and stopped right in front of it. I stared at the small, beige house that sat neatly between two, snow covered oak trees. I slowly walked up the steps to the porch; my foot steps pounding against the wooden boards. I turned around and faced away from the front door. The flower beds by the steps, were completely covered in snow. I thought about what to say if Mikasa or Armin opened the door, but most likely it would be Eren himself. I braced myself and knocked on the white wood door. A minute passed and the door opened to reveal-

_Fuck._

Mikasa was standing on the other side, holding the door halfway open. She immediately glared at me.

"I brought cake," I spit out. _Way to go, Levi._

"What are you doing here?" She questioned as her glare deepened.

I was about to answer when Eren appeared behind her. "I forgot to tell you. I invited him over!" He said as he placed his hand on his sister's shoulder. "He's lonely and I thought he needed some company."

"Oi, brat. You're going to make her think I'm some loner needing attention."

Mikasa scoffed, let go of the door and left further inside. Eren beckoned me inside. I stepped in and immediately slipped my shoes off. I saw a pair of slippers already prepared for me. I slipped those on and stood awkwardly in the hallway.

"You brought cake?" Eren asked as he glanced at the small box.

"Yeah."

"Aw, how sweet of you," He teased.

"Shut up or I will smash this on your face," I warned.

He sheepishly smiled and lead me to the dining table. The house was much bigger inside than outside. Sitting at the table already, was no other than the blond-headed, Armin. We made eye contact and he immediately looked away. All the dishes were already placed neatly. Mikasa was up getting the turkey out from the oven.

"You arrived in time. We're just about to eat." Eren mentioned as he sat down; across from Armin. He glanced at the seat next to him. It was obvious he wanted me to sit next to him. I let out a deep sigh and sat down right next to him. I set the box of cake on the side of the dining table.

Mikasa carefully placed the plate of turkey right in the middle of the table. She sat down right next to Armin; across from me. She glanced at all of us and breathed out, "Should we say some thanks?" We all nodded. "I'll go first." She hummed in thought and finally spoke up. "I'm thankful that my brother is still alive." She stared blankly at Eren. He merely glared at her.

Armin straightened up in his seat. "I'm thankful for being able to go to a great school, live in a house and spend this holiday with my three best friends." He glanced at me and smiled softly. "And for Levi joining us today."

"Well, I'm thankful for spending this holiday with all three of you!" Eren turned to me and asked, "And you?"

I glanced at him and the others. I cleared my throat and said, "I'm thankful that this brat invited me over."

"Okay, let's eat!"

We passed plates and bowls filled with vegetables, potatoes, and gravy. Along with a basket of fresh, warm biscuits. Eren and I helped cut the turkey and serve them to Armin and Mikasa. I watched in amusement as Eren ate in delight. Armin rambled on about their upcoming exams, while Eren groaned over the thought of it. However, Mikasa was silent and continued to give me a cold stare.

"Levi, tell us about your paintings," Armin suggested to ease the tension. I reluctantly answered. Even Mikasa started to ask me questions about my art.

"It's like he was born to paint! You're an amazing painter," Eren praised me. His beaming smiled made me feel uneasy.

"I just have a small question, but how old are you?" Armin asked.

"21."

"Ah, so you are a third year."

I stared at all three of them and asked, "What year are you all in?"

"Second year," They answered in unison.

I stared in bewilderment. All this time, I thought they were at least in their first year. They all looked so young.

"Hey! Let's have the cake you brought," said Eren with a small smile. I reached over my plate and opened the box up to reveal the delicious cake. He and Armin gazed at it; almost drooling. After we all got a piece, we all took a bite.

"This is delicious," Mikasa muttered through her small bites. When she wasn't glaring at me; she looked nice and pretty.

"So good!" Eren exclaimed as he reached for a second piece. As well as Armin. "Thanks for bringing it." I simply nodded.

The cake was all gone and the plates were completely empty. Thanksgiving together was over and I was ready to leave. After the dishes were washed and the table was cleared off, we all moved to the living room.

It was spacious. A long, comfy couch was placed directly in front of a plasma t.v. A couple of pictures of all three were hung neatly against each wall.

"We're going to watch a movie. Do you want to stay over and watch it?" Armin asked me as he held up the movie case.

"No. I'm going home right now," I replied in a bored tone. "Dinner was nice. Bye." I waved and headed for the front door, ignoring their confused expressions.

"I'll be right back!" I heard Eren tell them. I peeked over my shoulder and saw him following me. _Great. _I stepped outside and waited for him to emerge from inside. "Wow! The snow looks pretty," He awed. I turned and stared at the snow that was sparkling under the bright moon light. "C-Can we go get some coffee?"

"Huh?"

Eren glanced at me and began to rub the back of his neck. "Let's just get some coffee and talk. As friends," He muttered through his now chattering teeth.

I scoffed and slowly shook my head. "You're ambiguous, Eren Jaeger." I walked down the small steps and called to him, "Well, get your ass over here." He happily jumped down the steps and immediately stuck to my side.

My side and chest were uncomfortably warm afterwards.

* * *

At Café Sina, we both ordered a cup of Cappuccino. After a reasonable amount of waiting, we received our drinks and headed outside once again. I curiously stared at Eren's mittens. I wonder how warm they are.

"Is something wrong?" He stared at me confused with his round turquoise eyes that just happened to brighten up.

"I was staring at your mittens."

"Seriously? What is wrong with them?" He frowned and carefully took a sip of his drink; letting out a sigh of satisfaction. "If you want some, go buy your own!"

"Mittens look weird on me," I muttered as I took a sip of my drink as well. Truth is, I wanted to know what it would feel like to hold his mitten hand against my own hand. Would it feel nice and warm? Then I realized; why was I thinking about this?

Snow was once again falling down. It covered the empty streets and buildings. Footprints were slowly disappearing from the piling snow. The street lamps remained on, helping us light our way to the park. The park was unusually quiet and eerie at night. However, we noticed we weren't alone. A couple was quietly chatting away while enjoying the sight of the night sky. There weren't any stars out, but it was still nice to stare at.

Eren and I quickly found a bench to sit on. It was directly in front of a tall blossom tree and right by a brightly lit lamp-post. We both stared at the snow; waiting for one of us to break the silence.

"Did you like the dinner?" Eren asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Besides your sister staring me down like I was a criminal? The food tasted really good."

"Don't mind her. She's like that when it comes to me." He dropped his head down and looked away.

I leaned in close enough for him to hear. "Is she really protective of you?"

He quickly turned his head and replied, "Yeah because I'm her precious brother." Our noses were a feet away from each other, but I could still feel his warm breath. I stared at his bright orbs, while he stared at mine. He slightly tilted his head to the side and scrunched his eyebrows. "What color are your eyes?"

I glanced at his lips and back to his eyes. "Hazel," I whispered. I quickly backed away and completely ignored what occurred. "Don't tell me this whole time you didn't even know?"

He chuckled and brought his head up. "I never looked at your eyes for a long time." He dropped his gaze to the cup and smiled. "Thanksgiving was fun with you," He muttered.

I was confused and shocked. "Are you an idiot? I made this day fun? What did I even do? With this personality and expression of mine, I was so sure you would feel at least intimidated by me." My voice rose in disbelief.

"Sure you're expression is intimidating, but I'm sure your personality is different than what it appears to be." He ran his finger along the snow that piled on the empty space between us. "It was fun because you were there." He avoided all eye contact, but I could still see how red his cheeks were.

"You're always saying weird stuff," I remarked. I pulled out my phone and noticed just how late it had gotten. "Hey, It's late and Mikasa is probably worrying about your ass not being at home."

"Oh, right." We stood up and dusted the snow that had fallen on us. I snatched the cup from his hand and threw it in a nearby trash can. "Thanks," He said.

The park was now empty and no sight of a human being was around, besides us. The temperature had dropped and there was a slight cold breeze. We hurried over to the train station to savor what little warmth we had left. The train was empty as well. We sat right by the glass doors.

Eren shivered next to me and froze when he noticed me rubbing my hands together. He reached over and grabbed a hold of my hands. "My mittens are warm, aren't they?"

I looked up at him in disbelief and noticed his shy smile. This isn't what I wanted earlier, but it was fairly close. His mitten hands were extremely warm, which radiated to my own hands. And what was I feeling? I couldn't explain it, but my heart was racing. I actually liked his hands around mine, but the thought scared me.

I pulled away and said, "My hands are warm now." I didn't even say thanks. "I'll walk you home."

"What?" He said in a surprised tone. "You don't have to…"

"Take it as a thanks for inviting me."

He remained silent afterwards. It felt weird not getting off at my stop. Eren and I stepped out from the train once his stop came. Snow continued to fall and I started to wonder how much snow would accumulate over night. I also wondered why Eren had stuck to my side for this long.

We reached his house and I stopped right by the steps. He looked back to see if I would follow. He slowly stepped to the front door, but turned around. "Thanks for coming over and walking me home." A genuine smile had formed on his tan, round face.

"Thanks for not leaving this loner alone on Thanksgiving," I said jokingly, but I meant it. A slight smirk formed on my lips. I watched as he retreated inside to the comfort of his home. And I was left outside staring at the now empty porch. I turned around and began to walk home.

_Thanksgiving was fun with you, too._

* * *

_(**A/N: **_Remember to leave feedback!_)_


	6. Your Voice and My Art

(**A/N: **I recommend listening to _Hello_ by Kaji Yuki, since it goes along with a scene in this chapter. Anyways, enjoy this chapter! )

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**Your Voice and My Art**

After Thanksgiving, the weeks passed by in a flash, and now there was only a week left before winter break. Exams were this week and I was certain I'd do moderately well. Hopefully.

The weather had gotten more frigid. It was to the point I started wearing two sweaters under my coat. I also caught Eren wearing his mittens more often.

Anyway, once I was inside of the school gates, I searched for the brunet. It became a habit of ours to meet in the morning. However, there was no sign of him at all. So it seemed I wouldn't see him until after classes. But a pair of noise voices caught my attention. I turned my attention to the two idiots arguing. Eren and a tall guy with ash-brown hair with a undercut similar to mine, were yelling at each other. Iut of curiosity, I walked towards them.

"If you weren't so damn tall, I'd have my notebook by now and be punching your hideous horse-face!" Eren yelled. His normal bright eyes were burning with anger.

"Too bad you're fucking shorter than me!" The other guy waved the notebook around just above his head. I watched in amusement as Eren jumped and tried to read for it.

"Why are you two fucking yelling this early? Some of us are half-awake," I yelled in annoyance. Eren and "horse-face" froze and turned to face me.

"L-Levi!" Eren stuttered.

I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes on them. "You two didn't answer me," I said in a low and even more annoyed voice.

"Jean wanted to fucking mess with me and grab my damn notebook!" He turned to horse-face, Jean with enraged eyes.

Jean scoffed and smirked. He glanced at me and seemed to back away by intimidation. "Well, dork, I'm going to go talk to your hot sister!" He quickly threw the notebook at me; hitting me right on the face. He dashed to the front doors.

"Hey! Get back here!" Eren yelled as he sprinted, following Jean in pursuit.

I let out a loud groan and bent down to pick up the notebook. I flipped through the pages and noticed it was the brat's math homework. I shook my head and let out a sigh of annoyance. I have never been this annoyed in my life. "Now, I have to go find him and give this back to him," I muttered.

I walked up the stairs and into the warm building. I took the opposite way to my classes and headed down to the classes designated for second-years. Along the way, I received looks from a variety of students. Girls stared at me with a gleam of interest in their eyes. Others seemed to recognize me and bowed whenever I passed. I slowed down and decided to ask about Eren.

I walked up to a short, blonde girl and tall, freckled face girl, standing right by the water fountains. "You wouldn't happen to know an Eren Jaeger?" I asked as I stopped right in front of them.

The freckled girl eyed me with disinterest, while the petite girl answered, "Yeah we know him!" Her voice was high, unlike Mikasa's.

"Okay, good. What class does he have right now?"

She hummed in thought and turned to her friend. "English isn't it?" They both nodded. She turned to me and smiled brightly. "English! You know where it is, right?"

"Of course. Thanks, bye." I said in a hurry. I walked passed two classes and finally reached his class. I peered inside through the rectangular window on the door and caught sight of the annoying brat with ash-brown hair, right by the door. Eren was sitting behind him, still arguing with him. I knocked harshly on the door and caught the attention of everyone. I could have opened the door, but that would have required me to wash my hands afterwards.

I watched as Eren got up from his seat and headed to the door. He saw me from the window and immediately brightened up. His perfect curved smile placed on his perfectly shaped face. "What are you doing here?" He asked when he opened the door.

"Your lousy homework was thrown at my face. Oh yeah, tell horse-face that he'll get his ass kicked if he throws something at my face again," I replied while glaring at Jean.

Eren let out a small laugh and retrieved the notebook. "Yeah, I'll tell him." He stared at his notebook in thought. "Thanks for bringing it to me," He smiled softly while patting it.

"Whatever. I'll see you later." I waved at him and turned around. I peeked over my shoulder and watched as Eren retreated back inside. I sighed and headed down the hallway to my own class.

He was surprisingly _happy_.

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I rubbed my shoulders in exhaustion as I stepped out of class. After a long day, all I wanted to do was relax. I walked passed people who sent me casual smiles and nods. I nodded back at them. I walked into the familiar hallway. Other students were heading into the same direction, but to different rooms. It was that time of the year where students started studying in groups in empty club rooms. During this week, there weren't any club meetings due to exams.

I came to the music room and listened carefully for any sign of Eren. I furrowed my eyebrows and turned the door knob. I stepped inside and the grand piano came to view. My eyes trailed to Eren who was facing away from me. He slowly turned to face me, but his eyes remained glued to the notebook in his hands. "Levi?" He muttered.

I dropped my bag right by the door and walked to a nearby chair. "You guessed right, brat." I stopped and stared at him. "What are you doing?" I asked.

He finally brought his gaze on me. "I was looking over these," He replied. "I'm going to play the piano today," He said as he headed towards the piano in the middle of the room. He slid right on the bench and placed the notebook on the stand. "Wait, why are you here?" He popped his head right out to get a better look of me.

I dragged the chair right by the piano. "Decided to watch you sing." He remained silent still staring at me. "I'm still going to draw, so don't distract me," I sighed and left to grab my sketch book.

"Are you going to draw me?" He asked and I could tell by his voice; he was smiling.

Silently, I walked back to my seat. "Well, let's see." I smirked at him. He flashed a grin and placed his fingertips on the keys. He let out a shaky breath and started to play. The melody flowed to my ears and I was immediately enchanted with the beautiful sound. Then, he started to sing. It was breathtaking. His voice wasn't low nor high: it was at the perfect pitch. I admired his long fingers pressing and brushing against the slick keys. He smiled showing all his white teeth. At that moment, I noticed what great passion he had for singing.

He turned to me and sang, "Hello!" His eyes sparkled and his sharp jaw line was visible. I swallowed and held a thumbs up. What I wanted to say wouldn't come out. He turned back to looking at the notes and continued to sing with all his heart out. "You lied. You aren't drawing," He spoke after he finished the song. His cheeks were flushed, but he wasn't embarrassed to show it.

"I was distracted," I remarked.

"So, how was my singing?" He asked.

I stared at him and said, "Impressive." The corners of his mouth rose and he grinned widely. While he turned to play once again, I finally opened the sketch book and turned to a clean page. I studied his whole face; every sharp curve of his jaw line, his now closed eyes and the slight curves in his lips. I moved my hand to the rhythm of the current song he was playing. A smile begged and tugged on my lips, but I bit my lips to hide it.

I observed his position, posture and movements. I sketched and sketched, until all that was left was his outfit. I drew the crisp, white dress shirt under a black vest and the tie the school provided. He had taken off his blazer earlier. When I was satisfied, I examined over the whole drawing. Any drawing or painting of Eren came out looking like a masterpiece. I glanced at him; he was still playing and singing. Until he finished, I took the time in adding details and the background.

"Did you draw me?" He asked after a few minutes.

I looked up and saw him staring at my sketch. I turned to a different page and narrowed my eyes at him. "Who said you could look?" I asked in a low tone.

Flustered, he rubbed the back of his neck and stared else where. "I was just curious..."

"I'll show you some other time," I muttered. He stood up to slip on his blazer and coat. "When is the competition?" I asked.

"It's not until April," He replied. He wrapped his scarf around his neck and I stared in wonder. How would it feel to run my hand on his neck? I shivered and shook the thought away.

"How long have we been here?"

"Almost an hour. I'm pretty tired."

After placing the chair back in its rightful place, I slipped on my coat and scarf on as well. I turned in time to see Eren slip on his mittens, again.

"Don't you have gloves?" He asked waving his hands to show his mitten hands.

"Have you seen me at least once with gloves?" He shook his head. "Exactly. I don't own a pair."

"Shouldn't you protect your hands because, you know, you paint and don't want your hands to get numb or something?" He suggested.

"Idiot, my hands are perfectly fine and will be if I shove them in my pockets." We walked out of the room and Eren turned to lock it. "Are you studying for your exams?" I asked to break the silence surrounding us.

He glanced at me and covered his mouth. "Not really..." He muttered. I shook my head in disappointment. "What? I can't study when I'm practicing!"

"The competition is in April. It wouldn't hurt you to not practice for a week." We opened the front doors and stepped outside. Immediately, we felt the cold breeze and shivered. "Get Mikasa to help you study," I suggested.

"Do you study?"

"Enough to make sure I do well."

"When are you going to show me the drawing?" He asked, again.

"Soon."

Eren chuckled and looked straight ahead. "Today was fun," He whispered. It also became a habit of his to say that whenever we spent the afternoon together. It felt normal to hear him say that.

"It was fun," I admitted.

We continued on our way to the station after a long day. This whole week would be tiresome, but we both hoped it wouldn't get to us.

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The next day, after class, I headed down the hallways to the art room. Footsteps rang through out the hallway. Many belonging to other students. I heard a pair of footsteps hitting against the boards of the floor as they sprinted. I looked back to see Eren running towards me. I stopped to let him catch up to me.

He stopped right in front of me breathing heavily. "Finally caught up to you," He breathed out. He ran his hand through his tousle of hair, which I bet was soft. "Since you spent the afternoon with me in the music room, today I'll spend the afternoon with you in the art room," He smiled.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you sure?" He nodded excitedly. We walked passed the music room and three doors ahead, was the art room. I turned the door knob and entered into the cold room. I flicked the light switch on and moved to turn the heat up.

"Wow, this is pretty cool," said Eren in awe. He paced around the room admiring all the finished and unfinished art work. "Are these all yours?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "You do realize other people come in, right?" I walked passed him, walking towards the counters on the right side of the room. I reached up and opened a cabinet filled with canvases and panels. I pulled out a medium-sized canvas and closed the cabinet.

"Are you going to paint?" He asked as I passed by. He tilted his head in curiosity.

"Painting takes almost days to do. I'll just draw with a pencil for today," I replied. I placed the canvas on the easel in the middle of the room; right in front of the grand window. "I'm going to draw you today," I told him.

His eyes widen and he looked at me in shock. "Are you serious?"

"I don't kid around." I sat on the stool in front of the easel and pointed to the seat beside it. "Are you going to sit or stand the whole time?" Eren awkwardly hurried to sit down. I stared at him and his posture.

"Is something wrong?" He asked leaning his head forward.

"Straighten your back a little and I don't care what you do with your hands." He did so and intently waited for more orders. I moved to draw an outline of his posture. I glanced at his hands which were placed right above his thighs. He kept twirling his fingers around. "You can sing if you want to," I added.

"Okay, good. It's a little weird just sitting here in silence." He started to sing a song from the top of his head. He remained still. His voice was soft at first, but gradually grew louder and stronger. I let his singing voice calm me and focused on the drawing. I shaded and erased so many times, but this needed to be perfect. I glanced at his expression; he was smiling lovingly.

Twenty minutes had passed and he had already moved on to two different songs. He was singing softly now. He reached for his phone in his back pocket and plugged in his headphones. "I would let you listen, but you're kind of over there," He smiled shyly.

"And you're over there," I added; still focused on the drawing. Eren's singing once again filled the room. If I was a judge, I'd automatically give him the prize. I stopped to wipe away the graphite from my hands with a tissue. I glanced at him and caught him staring at me. "What?" I asked narrowing my eyes.

He shook his head and smiled. "You just have this big passion for art."

"It's like you and singing," I admitted. I picked up the pencil and began to add details to his tousle of brown hair.

"I didn't know..." His cheeks were slightly pink to be noticeable. After a while, I was adding details to his outfit when he informed, "We should get going. The sun is setting."

I turned my head to the window and saw that sun that was dipping behind the horizon. The sky was a blanket of orange and yellow colored spirals. "Just a few more minutes. I'm almost finished," I said as I frantically scribbled and shaded. Finally, the drawing was finished. I rose from the stool and stepped back to get a better view of it. I let out a sigh of satisfaction. "Come here," I called to Eren.

He slowly stepped towards and turned to meet the canvas. "No way..." I watched as his expression changed. His eyes were almost popping out and his mouth was wide open. We both stared at the drawing that took me almost an hour to draw. A portrait of Eren comfortably sitting on the chair, with his perfect smile, singing to his heart's content. His eyes were closed, showing his beautiful lashes. "Levi..." He started. He turned to me and breathed out, "You're a prodigy."

I couldn't help but smirk. I covered my mouth and nodded in understanding. "Call me whatever you want."

"So, what are you going to do with it?" He asked.

I hummed in thought. I actually didn't have a clue at all. "I could sell it or give it to you. Take your pick."

He bit his lip and played with his hands. "Can I keep it?"

"Yeah. It's you anyways." I walked to the back of the classroom and searched for a bag in the drawers. After finding one, I carefully grabbed the canvas and place it in the bag. "Here," I said as I handed it to him. "Handle it like it's your first-born child."

He laughed and received the canvas. "I will cherish it." He grinned.

"Let's hurry and get out of here. "

Outside, we both breathed out and watched our breaths form in the air. "Was today fun?" I asked. We stared at the sky that was now slowly turning into a inky night sky.

"Extremely," He beamed. Eren moved closer to my side; our shoulders almost touching. I swallowed at the thought of our hands brushing against each other. "You know, I'm getting you a present for Christmas."

"Huh?" I said in shock.

"You're my friend! I have to!" He smirked and teased me by saying, "Besides, you'll like it."

I shook my head in disbelief. "That means I have to get you one, too."

"You have to."

After that, the remainder of our walk consisted of Eren complaining about Jean and cracking some of his lame jokes, while I thought about what would be a great present for him. So, it ended up, I did have someone to buy a present for on Christmas.

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(**A/N: **I'm so excited for the next chapter! I hope you all will be, too! Remember to leave reviews~ )


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